Mr Stranger
by The Lost and Found Box
Summary: /Two-shot, sequel to "Memorial". MelloOC./ "Maybe seeing things isn't so bad."
1. Mr Stranger: Part One

**Part one of the two-shot that is part of the sequel. Whew. "Shut Up And Let Me Go" is by and belongs to The Tings Tings. You may recognize it from the iPod commercials or whatever they were. Thankies to Darkness-Ninja-Princess for telling me how the first few paragraphs went! :D**

Mr. Stranger

The green bench as it sat in the sunlight on the day our story begins, seemed like just a green bench. A green bench with pine green paint beginning to chip. It sat in a rather strange spot for a bench, considering the how the streets were planned out in the city. It sat in the middle of the block. The bench was surrounded by little shops, and on the day in question a cicada was buzzing in the tree that sat next to the bench. A few children mingled about. You see, school let out for summer vacation the next day, and all of the little boys and girl's heart were a flutter.

On this day the bench was occupied by a rather strange man in black. He let a rather large newspaper hide his face, which, upon further observation led young Opal to believe that he might be hiding from someone, as all of the characters in cartoons did this when they were on the run from a villain. Opal stepped lightly against the side walk, large hazel looking up in curiosity. Opal was only seven years old and rather skeptical about graduating second grade.

"Who are you hiding from?" she asked. Her light brown hair was tucked behind her ears and she swung a pink backpack over her shoulders.

The man said nothing; instead he turned the page of newspaper. Opal cocked her head and sat down on the green bench.

"My name's Opal, what's yours?" she giggled, holding out a delicate and sticky hand. The man seemed to relax a little. He let down the newspaper, to reveal a rather gruesome scar on his face. Opal gasped. "Never mind, my mummy said not to talk to strangers," she faced the street, her back rigid.

"Your mother is right," the man stated clearly. Opal looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Opal said nothing. "My name is Mihael," the man held out a hand.

Opal took it and shook it a little; though in the end it made no effect as the man was rather strong. "I'm waiting for my mommy. I'm graduating second grade tomorrow," she tested, but her voice was proud.

"Congratulations, Opal," the man, Mihael, said.

"Thank you. Umm… sir? Why do you have that big ugly scar?" Opal's innocent bluntness made the man rigid this time.

"I got in an accident, a long time ago," the man's eyes seemed far off.

"Oh, okay," Opal smiled happily. Mihael was confused. Why wasn't this girl badgering him about his scar? She didn't seem to give it a second look. "When can I see you around again?"

"I'll be around. I wouldn't mind being your friend,"

"Thank you mister!"

"Come one Opal," the two were joined by a skinny and pale woman with long blonde hair was faded blue eyes. A smile was pasted on her face. "It's time to come home!" she laughed, hugging her daughter.

"Mommy, I want you to meet my new friend," Opal pointed to the bench, where Mihael was visible to her. He seemed caught up in her mother.

Scarlett stared at the green bench for a long time. "Honey," she finally said, "there's nobody there," she looked puzzled.

"What are you talking about, mommy. He's right there," she pointed to the bench again. Scarlett said nothing and grabbed her daughter, and hurried her into the car.

--

Opal sat, alone, on the swing set in her backyard. Mihael had promised that he'd come back, and Opal didn't have anyone to play with. The swing next to her was empty, swaying slightly in the breeze.

"Can I join you?" Opal turned around to face Mihael. Her eyes lit up.

"Of course!" she giggled as Mihael sat on the swing. An awkward silence fell over the two. "Why can't mummy see you?" Opal finally asked, cocking her head. An afternoon sunlight made her white face look tan.

"Because… she doesn't know how to look…" Mihael sighed. His teal eyes clouded with emotion.

"Don't be sad Mihael! I know how to look," Opal grinned.

"Don't call me Mihael. Call me Mister Stranger," Mihael told her. Opal nodded, like she did something wrong.

"Alright. Do the other kids see you?" Opal asked. For once, she had something away from her mother or Ella.

"If they know how to look," Mr. Stranger hissed. He didn't seem very happy to hear about other children.

"Can I ask you something?" Opal kicked the dirt in the ground.

"Haven't you asked enough?" Mr. Stranger said flatly.

Opal didn't get it. "Why do you like my mom? You were staring at her before, like you knew her,"

"Well, Opal, your mother is very pretty…" Mr. Stranger trailed off. He had intended that to be more like a pause, but it didn't work.

"Come on, Opal, dinner's ready!" Opal looked at the open door, where Scarlett stood.

"I have to go eat. Do you want to stay for dinner?" Opal asked happily. It was spaghetti night. Mr. Stranger shrugged, but followed the little girl into the old house.

--

"Mommy! Be nice, we have a guest!" Opal laughed as she took a rather large bite of spaghetti.

Scarlett looked skeptically at the empty chair. Opal had insisted that they put a plate there, because her friend, 'Mr. Stranger', was coming to dinner. Scarlett realized that the man Opal was talking to after school was probably just her imaginary friend. But were seven year old girls supposed to have friends that didn't exist?

"I'm sorry, dear. How rude of me. Mr. Stranger, could you please pass the salad?" The blonde writer asked the non-existent person. She wished Ella were here, but Ella was on a trip around the world with her mother. The salad bowl didn't move. Opal laughed.

Through her eyes she could see Mihael perfectly clear, and rather forlorn, teal eyes staring at the salad bowl, as if his gaze could move it alone. During the entire dinner, Mr. Stranger hadn't touched the food on his plate, let alone try to talk to Opal. All he had done was stare at Scarlett. Whenever it seemed like she was looking at him, he couldn't help but feel like he was alive. And that she could see him.

"Its okay, Mr. Stranger, I wouldn't pass the salad bowl to me, either," Scarlett nodded, unsure of whether she was trying to discourage Opal's newfound friend, or to encourage. Unbeknownst to Scarlett, she was looking right into his eyes. She reached over and grabbed the salad bowl, pretending not to bump into Mr. Stranger.

"So, how's school going?" Scarlett asked her daughter, eating a fork full of dressing sprinkled greens.

"All right," Opal muttered, chopping up her spaghetti noodles with her fork, in a sort of hacking fashion. Scarlett stared at her brown-haired hazel-eyed daughter with soft eyes.

"You happy to be graduating second grade?" she asked.

Opal turned stone cold. "Yeah, it's alright." It was no secret she wasn't looking forward to spending an entire summer alone with her mother. All Scarlett would do was sit on the computer and type, then freak out about the time, order pizza and send Opal off to bed.

Scarlett smiled and twirled her spaghetti. It was beginning to get dark outside, and since it was summer that meant it was getting late. Scarlett put down her fork and looked at how much food Opal had eaten. Her entire plate was empty, but her salad was untouched.

"Take a couple bites of your salad, then go get ready for bed, I'll be up to tuck you in, soon,"

"But –" Opal whined. It was only 8:30.

"No buts. You can stay up later during summer vacation, but tonight's a school night. I don't care if you have a half day tomorrow, you still get up at the same time," Scarlett went over a list of all the arguments Opal could come up with. That was all of them.

Opal grunted and shoved a forkful of salad into her mouth.

--

Scarlett lay on the couch in her pajamas. There was one lamp on, like a beacon in the dark room, its orangeish light casting a glow in the area around it. The radio was on; its sleek black body was thrown on coffee table messily. A station Scarlett wasn't familiar with played while she flipped through the channels. It was only 10:00, but since she was alone in the house (except for Opal, who slept soundly up stairs), it seemed like much later.

Or so she thought. Mihael sat behind her, sitting on the back of the couch. He stared at the television, not even trying to get Scarlett's attention. She couldn't see him anyway; she could never see the skinny blonde man in black that stood over her and her family like a guardian angel.

A rather upbeat and poppy tune began to play on the radio. Scarlett sat up. She knew this song. And no one was around. And she did need a little pick me up, considering her daughters newfound friend who she couldn't see. Another instrument began to play, enhancing the beat. It was a rather old song. Scarlett smiled as she beat her head steadily along with the rhythm. A voice began to sing, and Scarlett followed her lead.

"Shut up and let me go, this hurts I tell you so. For the last time you will kiss my lips, now shut up and let me go. Your jeans were once so clean, I bet you changed your wardrobe since we met!" she laughed, standing, following the rhythm of the song with her body. Her unseen angel stared at her.

"Now oh so easily, you're over me. Gone is love, it's you that ought to be holding me, I'm not containable! This turns up, it's not sustainable!" Scarlett jumped from the couch to a near by chair, laughing. This was the most fun she'd had since… well; it had been a long time. Mihael began to tap his foot to the beat as well. He smiled, and finally, the smile turned into a laugh as she finished, with a graceful (or not so) fall from the coffee table.

"I'm okay!" She threw her hands in the air, and reached for the couch. Her hand passed through his foot. She drew it back quickly, and looked over the flesh. Her hand had frozen up for a second. She pulled herself up, and moved both her hands and her feet. She wiggled her toes, and made sure everything was in order. Mihael jumped from his position, out of her way. Obviously, she felt some kind of sensation when she passed through his ghostly body.

She ran her hands through her hair. It was too late for her. Well, at least, now it was. She stood up and turned off the radio. Time for bed.

--

Scarlett slid under the covers, tired, and waiting for her meds to kick in. That would send her right to sleep. She reached over to her bedside table and grabbed two gloves that lay safe and warm in the little drawer. The gloves were worn and black, and had a comforting spell on the blonde writer. They were his. She slipped them on, and let pillow her head with them.

Of course, they didn't smell like he did, anymore. She remembered when she first found them. Boy was she a wreck! And when she slipped them on, she felt so much closer to Mello. She would brush them close to her face, and let his scent lull her to sleep. He smelled like chocolate (obviously), cigarettes (from hanging around with our favorite chain-smoking gamer) and another, rather unique fragrance. It may have been some kind of detergent (if he washed his clothes) or maybe some type of shampoo, or something (but who would want to take the time to take a shower in Matt's apartment?). Whatever it was, it made her happy.

And in no time she fell asleep, with (guess who?) Mihael sitting next to her on the bed. Did she really miss him that much? He wanted to caress her cheek, and tell her that everything was okay. But he couldn't. Because she couldn't see him. And he couldn't touch her.

--

"Which one's yours?" a woman in a white sundress asked. Second, third and first graders played on the playground after their 'graduation'. If you wanted to be technical, school was over, and summer had begun, but many parents let their children play and say good bye to friends for the summer.

Along the parking lot, a group of women whose children were all in the same grade chattered. Scarlett recognized some of them. A few were neighbors, others she had seen around school. No matter what, all were rather preppy. It was a long stretch that their hair was its natural color, and their clothes were expensive. It was no secret that their husbands worked all day, while they sat by the pool and ate bonbons. Our blond writer didn't think highly of them, but she didn't have many friends, so why not try to converse?

"Hello, ladies!" Scarlett smiled. All four of the women turned to look at her with skeptical eyes. Scarlett's smile faded, and she realized how out of place she looked. Messy blonde hair back in a messy braid. And old blue-shirt with bleach stains, blue jeans with rips in them (that were not store made) and old rubber sole flip-flops.

"Why, hello, Scarlett, is it?" One with vibrant red hair and too much make up for her own good crooned.

"Yes, it is. And you are?" She wouldn't be discouraged that easily.

The red haired one smiled. "I'm Laura,"

A short haired brunette with a rather pointy nose smirked. "I'm Amy,"

A blonde one with a pink outfit and vacant eyes giggled. "I'm Julie!"

The last, the one in the white sundress eyed Scarlett. She had long brunette hair that fell gracefully to her sides, and the prettiest of the four over all. "I'm Miranda," she offered a hand, a challenging look in her eye.

"It's very nice to meet you all," Scarlett avoided Miranda's hand. Scarlett was joined by a ghostly figure in black, who had been forced to play with a bunch of little kids who could see him as well. He sighed.

"So, what is it again that you do?" Miranda smirked. The other girls mingled and pointed happily to the group of second graders.

"I'm in between books right now, so I'm writing. You see, I'm a writer. Silent Roses? Fallen Sanity? Ebony Night? Snowflakes?" she tested.

Miranda nodded. "I heard that you were working at the school cafeteria for a little while," she hissed.

"Of course. I wanted to pick up some extra money, but still help out with the school. I also kind of wanted to see how it'd be in 'Lunch Lady Land'," Scarlett laughed, but gave up on the joke. Miranda slowly nodded her head, judging eyes studying her face.

"Hmm. So which child is yours?" Miranda surveyed the crowd of children.

"Her name is Opal. She's the one in the center," Scarlett smiled. She hadn't noticed how popular her daughter was. Opal's eyes were lit up by the praise of her friends and classmates. They laughed and played.

"Mine's the one on the… side…" Miranda trailed off. Her son, Alex, looked much like his mother in everyway. He was pale and sickly, and stayed to the side of the group, with undeserved pride.

"Oh. Well he looks like a very nice kid," Scarlett lied. Alex looked more unpleasant than… he just looked very unpleasant.

"You know what's funny? I have never seen a father around your house," Miranda poked at an open sore. She had to keep herself from not smiling.

"Oh. Well, she doesn't have one." Scarlett muttered. Mr. Stranger tuned in.

"Oh! Really? She seems so nice. You know, my husband always said that a child couldn't be raised by just one parent alone." Miranda hissed. She seemed flustered, yet triumphant.

"Well, your husband is obviously wrong, because Opal is a very lovely little girl," Scarlett snapped. Mr. Stranger nodded behind her.

Miranda nodded, her eyes avoiding Scarlett's. "You seem very young. What? Did you get knocked up in high school? Didn't your parents warn you about that?" Miranda smiled, wide. Mihael winced.

Scarlett turned her head toward Miranda, her back rigid. "Okay, bitch. You asked for it," she hissed. Miranda cocked her head, not hearing Scarlett. The blonde grabbed the brunette, pulling her over to the side of the brick school, and pushing her up against the side of the building. Miranda gasped.

"Number one. I am very proud of my jobs, and I was not in the least surprised that you didn't read my books, because you obviously have the IQ of a pea. Number two, Opal is a very nice little girl, and she's adopted! I never got knocked up, and if I did, my parents couldn't' tell me that it was a bad idea because I'm an orphan! I grew up in the UK, you slut! Number three, Opal doesn't need a father to grow up well. She might've had once, but sorry, he died. Kira killed him, and he burned alive!" the blonde writer yelled, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She let go of Miranda and began to walk away.

Miranda gasped and began to wail. Obviously, no one had treated her like that before

"By the way, you whore! Something that'll really set you off! I have a psychosis disorder closely related to schizophrenia!" Scarlett yelled, flipping the brunette in white off. Opal wandered over to her.

"Mommy, who are you yelling at?" she asked, on the verge of tears.

Scarlett sighed. "No one, honey, come on, let's go home." She took her daughters hand and they both walked to the car.

--

"Mommy?! Why are we going home, I wanted to play with my friends!" Opal pouted in the backseat of the car. Mihael sat next to her, and she held his hand as she whined. He didn't look very happy either. Scarlett pulled in the driveway.

"Honey, has anyone ever asked you why you don't have a daddy?" our blonde writer spoke up. She hid it from her daughter, but tears streamed down her face.

"Not really. Where is my daddy?" she wondered. The thought had crossed her mind before, but she was too premature to really grasp onto the idea. Mihael held her hand tighter.

"You… you don't really have a daddy. Honey, I don't know if you're ready for this, but I might as well take a shot. Your daddy died a long time ago," she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

Opal nodded. "Okay, that's nice to know. Besides, if I could pick a daddy, I'd pick Mr. Stranger." Hazel eyes looked up at Mihael's badly scarred face. Scarlett looked back at her child. Opal really seemed to think Mihael was real. She sighed. 'Mr. Stranger' was beginning to unnerve her.


	2. Mr Stranger: Part Two

**Hey guys! Anybody remember me? Bad Mello/OC fic in the summer of 2008? Never finished the two-shot sequel? After looking through some files on my computer I found this. I didn't have much time to read through it, but I figure I owed all of my former readers and current readers who _I know are reading_ the rest of the story. **

**I've grown a lot in writing (my most recent is Moving, a Matsuda/Sayu ficlet) and this is pretty much untouched from it's original August 7th, 2008 save date, save a couple of run throughs with a spellchecker. This is unbeta'd, and I'm really not expecting much feed back, but if you are reading it'd be nice to have a review. Sorry for the long wait, guys. :|  
**

Mr. Stranger

Scarlett was immersed in a book. Thunder rumbled lowly outside, yet lightning flashed almost non-stop, the glow of the electricity lit up the dark room. Rain pounded against the windows, and seemed to play a sad tune against the glass. Scarlett turned a page.

"Mommy?" Scarlett looked up to see her daughter in her night gown, clutching a teddy bear under her arm. Opal never played with teddy bears, and the blonde writer pretty much assumed that Opal only did it to look more like a child on TV or in a movie.

"What is it, hun?" Scarlett asked, putting away her book.

Opal stepped forward and planted herself on her mother's lap. "I'm afraid of the thunder and," she turned to look at nothingness, "Mr. Stranger isn't doing much to help me." Her last comment was filled with venom that Opal directed at her imaginary friend. Because of her age, the irritated remark sounded rather silly and juvenile.

Scarlett smiled at the air. Mihael imagined himself alive, again. "Well, do you want to stay down here with me?" she said, smiling. Opal nodded vigorously and dropped her bear like it was poison. A loud crash of thunder shook the house, making the lights flicker momentarily. Scarlett looked up. She would turn on the television when Opal fell asleep, no need to frighten her.

"Thank you, mommy," Opal sighed, burrowing into her mother's chest. Scarlett sighed and slowed her breathing, trying to make her daughter fall into a deep slumber.

"Mommy?" Opal's words startled the pale blonde.

"Yes, hun?" the woman sighed. Mihael studied her curves. She was much to skinny for her frame; she had lost a lot of weight in the last five years. He also noticed the dark bags around her eyes. How badly must she have been after he and Matt died?

"Who was Mr. Goggles?" Opal asked, grabbing a strand of her mother long hair and absentmindedly twirling it. Scarlett froze at the name. Goggles… could it just be some sort of coincidence?

"I don't know? Who was Mr. Goggles?" Scarlett asked, hugging her daughter tightly. Another crackle of thunder, and the lights flickered, threatening to send the three into darkness.

"When I was little, I remember someone with goggles who would take care of me when it was stormy," Opal explained, giving a short tug to her mother's hair to see what would happen. Scarlett jerked back, and stole the strand away from her daughter, who continued to play with her own hair.

"Really? Well, that's strange. Maybe you saw it on TV or something." Scarlett's voice cracked. Could she really remember Matt? Oh, Matty. Oh, Mail. Mihael froze and looked at the two. He put out his hand to stroke the child. Opal smiled, and soon, she was asleep.

Scarlett tried to blink away tears. But they hadn't died in vain, right? Kira was gone, right? Right…?

----

Scarlett slept soundly underneath her covers. The storm had died down greatly, and she had been able to get to sleep before Midnight. Opal was snoozing in her room down the hall way. Mihael lay next to the sleeping writer, his hand as close to her as he could place it, without making her feel uncomfortable. Scarlett rolled over to face him.

A bright flash of lightning lit up the windows, and the clock stopped. It didn't fail, it just stopped. The blonde ghost began to choke, and time felt like it had vanished. An invisible hand released itself from Mihael's throat, and he gasped for air. Scarlett reached out and wrapped her arms around his.

He froze.

How could she touch? What was going on? Could she see him too? The clock still hadn't moved, it hadn't even counted seconds. Mihael gulped. Her touch was warm and frightening. She hugged his arm tighter. Her blue eyes fluttered open. Her mouth formed a huge 'o'.

She could obviously see him.

She scuttled up, releasing his arm, not letting her eyes off him. He sat up as well. Scarlett quickly pressed her hand to her forehead. A quiet shriek flew out of her mouth.

"Oh, oh, oh, this cannot be happening again! No way!" she muttered, leaping out of the bed and backing away from Mello. He tried to speak but nothing came out. The air felt dry and hot to his mouth.

She cried. "I thought we were over this, why, why, why?"

"Scarlett!" Mello shouted, finding his voice. She stopped. He tried to reach his hand out to her, but the air was too thick. Things started to fade and blur, until Mello blinked. He sat in the same position, and Scarlett was still freaking out in the corner. Tears were streaming down her face.

Mello realized she could no longer see him or here him. And for the first time since he had died, he cried. They were over, they were done with. They were now, in different dimensions. Mello was on the inside, looking out.

Why couldn't he have just been like Matt, and gone to Heaven, with L and Watari? Why? Why did it have to him, what the hell was the point in this? He felt like shouting and screaming, but he didn't want to risk waking Opal up.

Scarlett kept weeping, but tried to wipe the tears from her pale and sunken face. She gulped in air like a dying goldfish and stood up on shaky legs. Her face was hidden in shadows, and she slouched in her standing position, pathetic sniffles filling the quiet room. Mello would give anything to just hug her.

Slowly and without warning, Scarlett grabbed her cell phone that lay on the bedside table. Flipping it opened, she pressed a few buttons and collapsed on her bed, staying far away from the side Mello was laying on.

----

The sun was setting outside, and Ella lay on the bed in her hotel room, her long dark in a tight bun. "Vile woman," she muttered. She must have been some sort of drunk when she had agreed to go traveling with her mother. Her mother, the most annoying, loud, over-protective old hag she had ever met. Who the hell cares if she was her mother, she was unbearable.

An instrumental tune of Nickelback's "Savin' Me" began to play from her pocket. Ella scrambled to get the cell phone, recognizing the ringtone as Scarlett's. Flipping it open, she talked into the mouth piece, unsure of what she would here. Opal? Or a panicked Scarlett? Or a happy Scarlett and Opal?

"Scarlett?" she answered cautiously into the phone. Quiet sobs on the other end. Ella began to panic. "Scarlet?!" she repeated.

"Ella… I… I'm…" Scarlett broke off with fresh tears.

"What is it?" Ella tried to coax the truth out of her friend.

"I'm… seeing things again…" Scarlett choked. Ella gasped. After Mello and Matt's unfortunate demise, Scarlett's disorder was in full swing. Her hallucinations were frightening and terrible. Mostly, they consisted of seeing her blonde haired love on fire, screaming, or Matt, the goggled chain-smoker full of bullets and coughing up blood on the carpet.

The dark skinned woman sat up. "Calm down, okay? Have a drink of water, and remember to tell yourself that what you're seeing isn't real." Ella absentmindedly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

A sob from the other line. "But Ella… I felt it. It touched me!" Ella swallowed a rather large wad of spit that was nesting in the back of her throat.

"Where did it touch you?" Ella asked. In the back of her mind she realized that in any other situation, her words could be interpreted in a rather perverted way.

"Only my arm," Scarlett was obviously on the same wavelength as her friend, "But it was Mello! And he seemed so… real… I'm scared Ella. I want you to come home. What if I can't take care of Opal… what if I'm not a good mom?" All of the observations and fears that Scarlett had put together the last few years were spilling into the phone at an alarming rate.

Ella blinked slowly. "Scarlett, don't you ever think that! You're a fine mother, and Opal is very lucky to have you-" Ella was cut off by Scarlett's abrupt "bye" and hang up. The dark haired woman brought the phone away from her ear. She was worried. She had to go back to the States.

----

Scarlett stared at her hazel-eyed daughter who stood in the door way hugging a bear.

"Mommy, don't be sad," she told her mother. Scarlett wiped tears from her eyes.

"Honey? Did you see that?" Scarlett whispered. Opal nodded and advanced on her mother. Once about a foot away, she sat down.

"It's okay though, Mr. Stranger was there." Opal nodded.

Scarlett frowned. "What does Mr. Stranger look like?" she asked, opening her arms to her daughter. Opal sat down across from the blonde woman and Scarlett realized she needed her daughter more than her daughter needed her right now. Now that she thought about it, the question Scarlett just asked her daughter sounded kind of silly. But stray thoughts of little children becoming friends with an unseen but supernatural force in scary movies kept putting them selves out in the open for Scarlett.

Opal sat up in a confident way. "Mr. Stranger looks scary, but he really isn't. He is really nice!" Opal looked at an unseen angel sitting next to her and her mother. A look of dismay and disgust took hold of Mihael's face. Opal smiled. "He has a scary scar, though," Opal said on second thought.

Scarlett froze. "What?" Her voice shook.

"He has a scary scar. Like this!" Opal traced her face in the way of Mihael's scar. Scarlett gulped. She jumped up.

"Momma, what's wrong!?" Opal wailed, sensing her mother's fear.

"Shit, shit, shit! This cannot be happening to me! This is what happens in horror movies, not in real life. Wait – maybe this isn't real life. It's all just a bad dream. A very bad dream! Yes, just a dream…" Scarlett giggled insanely, leaving her daughter to cry on the floor.

A figure stood by the window, tense and frustrated. What the hell was she going to do? He set his eyes on her and decided his next move.

Marching toward the women with growing speed, he desperately hoped this would work. Opal wiped tears from her eyes and followed the figure until he stood before her laughing and crying mother. He paused for a moment and seemed to concentrate.

"Opal?" he barked. Opal began to cry harder at her friend's raise in voice, but she nodded anyway, afraid to make her angry.

"I need you to turn on the light in the corner. Then, I want you to throw it on the ground." Opal scrambled to the corner and flicked on the large lamp that stood big and tall by the window. After turning it on, she flung it to the ground, jumping at the noise the metal made when it hit the wood flooring. The top of the lamp squished against the cold floor, and the light bulb shattered. Opal started crying even more.

Mihael grunted in frustration. It was a stupid idea anyway. Scarlett was staring with wide eyes at the lamp, as though it had knocked over without any help. A large flash of lightening and boom of thunder rocked the house. It was just what Mihael needed.

Mihael began to choke and gag on air again. The air became heavy and dense. To Scarlett, he began to appear in pieces. A hand… a foot… a torso… a waist… a head…. She gasped when he was full again. Pushing against the air he was able to grab onto her wrists and he pinned her against the wall. Her mouth was open and he smashed his lips against hers. He knew it really wasn't helping the current situation, but they had kissed so few times when he was alive, he had to take a chance.

Her blue eyes stared into his teal ones.

Her mouth dropped open.

"Oh, wow." Scarlett took a rigid breath and blinked furiously. When she opened her eyes again, Mihael was gone. Scarlett wormed her way down, until she was laying flat on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

"Mommy?" a small voice from across the room asked.

Scarlett took a big breath of air. "Yah?"

"Why was Mr. Stranger kissing you?"

"Oh, so you saw it too."

"Mmhmm."

Mihael stood on the other side of the bedroom, completely still. If he had skin, it would be pale white. His heart fluttered with love and he had never felt the need to be alive as strong as this. Screw Kira, screw everything!

"Mels?" Mihael jumped at the voice. He turned around to see Matt, leaning against the wall with a cigarette in his mouth and a game in his hand. "S'time to go," he said without looking up.

Mello swallowed hard. He was filled with joy about seeing his friend, things almost felt "normal". But he was also filled with pain about having to leave the ones he loved. "Seriously Mels, we have to go."

Mello sighed and looked at Scarlett and Opal again. "Goodbye," he whispered, before turning around to his friend.

Matt looked up from his game and smiled. "Thatta boy." He laughed quietly before patting his friend on the back. They faded from sight, leaving Scarlett on the floor with a very afraid and worried daughter.

The two stood in the quiet room, thunder rumbling deeply outside. Scarlett breathed deeply, in and out and in and out.

"Mommy?"

"Y-yes?"

"Is it over now?"

"Yeah. I think it's over. For now."


End file.
